Category: Ministry Corner

Photos taken before COVID-19- mandated PPE and social distancing guidelines are followed. Top Photo: Sr. Michelle Moore, O.Carm. with residents and volunteers. Bottom Photo: Residents Art Show

by Sr. Michelle Moore, O.Carm.

The basic goal of an Activities Program in a Carmelite Home for the Aged is to help Residents reach their fullest physical and mental potential. Activities provide for
social interactions, creative and self-expression, memory sharing and the stimulation of interests and hobbies. Activities help restore self-confidence, gives Residents a sense of security and most especially gives them reason to live as they look forward to participating. Activities also helps Residents to increase their ability to create, like leading a song or a poem or creating color and design. How thrilled a Resident is when their artwork is posted on the bulletin board! They usually say, “That’s my work, isn’t it nice?” Some Residents come to Arts and Crafts for the first time and say, “I can’t do anything.” With assistance and encouragement, suddenly they say, “I did that!” A Resident was heard saying, “I learn something new everyday.” It is also wonderful to see a Resident helping another with their art project. Participating in a group brings Residents much joy and helps them make friends. Bowling, sing-alongs, exercise, memory sharing and group activities also gives our Residents something to look forward to. It is wonderful to observe residents interacting with each other during a social or group activity. Music brings back so many memories, and music is included during a craft class or another activity, especially exercise. When I began the Activities Program, I had to learn some of the old favorite songs like Daisy, You Are My Sunshine, When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, and If You’re Happy and You know it. Listening to the residents sing taught me the lyrics. Social activities including birthday parties, a weekly movie, and bingo bring laughter and joy to the Residents. Schools also provide entertainment with singing and band performances. Having activities twice a day lead to the need to create an activities calendar! The importance of activities can be summed up in three words – encouragement, motivation, and participation.

Submitted by Sr. Kathleen John McLinden, O. Carm., Pastoral Care Director

In 1989, a new 209 bed facility St. Patrick’s Residence, was built in Naperville to replace the original facility located in downtown Joliet. In 1997, a beautiful and devotional Chapel and more common space were added and presently 194 residents are served. St. Patrick’s Residence has always sought to extend the healing ministry of Christ to those entrusted to our care. Besides meeting the physical, emotional, and social needs of the residents, every effort is made to provide for their spiritual needs, regardless of religious affiliation.

The Pastoral Care Department oversees the celebration of Mass four times a week, the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Holy Communion is brought to residents unable to attend Mass by Sisters, dedicated lay staff and Eucharistic Ministers. Bedside prayers are also offered for the sick and dying, and emotional support is given to families experiencing the sickness or loss of a loved one. Pastoral Care Visits are done daily to give the residents time to talk about the family and if there are any issues that they may want to discuss 1:1 and in the privacy of their room where one feels comfortable to talk. We also broadcast Mass from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Chapel throughout the house on the T.V.

St. Patrick’s residents also have two Memorial Masses said yearly for all the deceased residents in the past six months. The families and friends are invited to attend this special event and refreshments are provided with time to welcome all the families and friends. There is a candlelight service during this time when families are asked to bring up the candle to the altar as the names are called out and light the candle of their loved one.

After the Mass, the families are encouraged to take the candle home and light it to remember their loved one on their birthday or anniversary and say a prayer for them. This is a special event for families and friends to attend this Mass.

Mount Carmel Care Center, a 69-bed home in Lenox, Massachusetts, became a Carmelite sponsored facility in October of 2013. Previously named Providence Care Center, the home was under the sponsorship of the Sisters of Providence. The Carmelite Sisters became aware of their decision to sell the facility, and they were impressed with the caring and mission-oriented spirit of the staff. The home was then acquired and renamed. The transition took place at a lovely para-liturgical ceremony seamlessly between the sponsors. The legacy of mission-driven Catholic healthcare was able to continue in the lovely Berkshires of Western Massachusetts near The Mount, Edith Wharton’s home, and the Boston Symphony’s summer home at Tanglewood.

Still today, that initial impression of the staff as mission-oriented has been borne out through the last eight years and this is what attracts potential residents, guests and their families. There are newer facilities close by with modern amenities but time after time Mount Carmel is the choice for our area. We have many, many short-term guests who return when they need rehabilitation and say they would not go anywhere else. At Mount Carmel, there is a true sense of home and family. All who work here have embraced all things Carmelite from our Mission Statement and Core Values to all our special Carmelite Feast Days. Our core values were unknown to the Mount Carmel staff back in 2013, but compassion, hospitality, shared commitment and respect for the sanctity of life were present and continue to be embraced by the staff. Mount Carmel Care Center is a small but mighty home.

A few years ago our Congregation was approached by D’Youville Wellness and Life Center in Lowell, Massachusetts to look at the possibility of their becoming a sponsored entity (Member) of the Carmelite System. At the time they were looking at various options for the future, realizing the difficulty of remaining a stand-alone entity and wanting to preserve their Catholic identity.

D’Youville (pronounced Dooville) was sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Ottawa (Grey Nuns). Their foundress, Elizabeth Bruyere had been a Sister of Charity of Montreal and, when sent to more remote sections of Canada, ended up forming a new Congregation. The Sisters’ presence in the United States is diminishing and they are planning for the future of their ministries. After many meetings and discussions and considering all their options, Sr. Prescille, the Provincial of the Sisters, asked if they could join the Carmelite System as a sponsored entity and we agreed.

On November 7, 2019 Mother Mark and the Council attended the Lasting Impressions Gala. At this event Sr. Rachelle Watier SCO, spoke beautifully about their Foundress Elizabeth Bruyere and Mother Angeline Teresa. She said “The charisms of both our foundresses just seemed to go hand in hand. We know you will take care of our mission”. She then asked Mother Mark and Naomi Prendergast to come forward and accept the flame of their mission and their legacy. “Take our past and bring it to a bright future”. Two beautiful lanterns were presented to Mother Mark and Naomi Prendergast as symbols of Passing on the flame.

As part of our celebration for the 36th Anniversary of Venerable Mary Angeline Teresa on January 21st we invited several members of the D’Youville Life and Wellness Community to join us at Avila. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet each other and rejoice over preserving their legacy and expanding our ministry and Catholic healthcare.